asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on a recent report (details supplied) that the joint committee of his Department and Comhairle na nOspidéal which has been examining the rationalisation of acute hospital services in this country has recommended the closure of a further 15 hospitals.

First of all, may I say that the report referred to was not a report of a joint committee of my Department and Comhairle na nOspidéal. It was a preliminary copy of an internal working document which the comhairle were considering on what they believe might be the future long-term shape of the hospital system. I might say that as Minister for Health I have received a number of reports offering me advice on a variety of topics. May I say that I welcome such advice?

As the Deputy is aware, I initiated a review of the acute care hospital system earlier this year and as part of this review I consulted widely with all interests involved in the delivery of these services. Many of the findings of this review are now being implemented as part of the rationalisation of the acute hospital system and this rationalisation has not been influenced in any way by the document.In conclusion may I repeat that the document in question has no official standing?

Would the Minister confirm that the committee who released the document were appointed by him, that he was given guidelines that they should achieve a one-third reduction in acute hospital beds and a reduction of £165 million in hospital allocations? Would the Minister now confirm to the House that the following hospitals are safe and will remain open: Cherry Orchard, Peamount, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Dún Laoghaire, Bantry and Mallow hospitals? Will the three voluntary hospitals and the orthopaedic hospital in Cork city continue and will the hospitals in Airmount, Waterford, Cashel, Clonmel and Nenagh survive?

I want to advise Deputy Allen that I propose to deal with other questions at 3.45 p.m.

I was very orderly.

It is up to the Deputy to co-operate with the Chair in disposing of his questions. A series of questions of that kind is not in order.

As I have already stated, the document referred to by the Deputy was not requested by me. It was an internal working document from Comhairle na nOspidéal. Comhairle na nOspidéal, within their rights, may advise the Minister or any other body established under the Health Act, 1970, on matters relating to the organisation and operation of hospital services. I made it clear in this House that, so far as I am concerned, the acute hospitals to be closed have either been closed or are in the process of being closed at present. I made that clear to the House.

Will the Minister still stand over his initial reaction to this report when he said that no further hospital closures will take place this year or next year?

Not alone did I say that when this report was published, but also speaking to the chairman and CEOs of the health boards when they received their allocations I informed them that I did not see any reason why there should be further acute hospital closures. In regard to some of the hospitals Deputy Allen mentioned, for example, Cherry Orchard Hospital, obviously the role of that hospital should be reviewed in the light of the fact that there has been a drop in the number of infectious diseases and perhaps the spare bed capacity could be used up for some other purpose. As regard the closure of acute hospitals, it is not my intention that there should be any further closures of acute hospitals other than those that have been already announced and are either closed or in the process of being closed.

54.